Blogging Anniversary - 10 years

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A while ago I checked when I did my first blog post, in order to celebrate with an anniversary post. Well, that day came and went without any reaction from me. Better late than never, so here a reminder of my very first blog post from 24 October 2012.  The book was New Finnish Grammar  by Diego Marani. Marani is an Italian novelist, translator and newspaper columnist. While working as a translator for the European Union he invented a language ‘Europanto’ which is a mixture of languages and based on the common practice of word-borrowing usage of many EU languages. It was a suitable book to start with, being a book about letters, languages and memories. With a beautiful prose, the novel went directly to my heart.  "One night at Trieste in September 1943 a seriously wounded soldier is found on the quay. The doctor, of a newly arrived German hospital ship, Pietri Friari gives the unconscious soldier medical assistance. His new patient has no documents or anything that can ide...
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Advent Calendar, box no. 13 - Sankta Lucia

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To blog and talk about Sankta Lucia, or Saint Lucy's Day as it is called in English, today is almost compulsory in Sweden.  It is mostly celebrated in Scandinavia and in Sweden it is an old, important tradition. The story is that Lucia was a 3rd century martyr who according to legend brought "food and aid to Christians hiding in the catacombs". Since her hands were busy carrying things she lighted her way by putting a candle-lit wreath on her head. This is how it is done today, although she does not bring food, but maybe our special Christmas treats, 'saffransbullar och pepparkakor' and, of course, the special songs.

I guess we enjoy it still today, because it is a light in this dark time of the year. Here is a short video from the Zorn house in Mora, which shows the tradition (from Youtube).





Hope you enjoy it.

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